Toyota Yaris: It’s a Car. That Texts!?

Posted on Mar 18, 2016 in Safety | 3 comments

2012 Toyota Yaris Even the most basic automobile is about to succumb to the stigma of added technology. The Toyota Yaris has thrived as one of the few remaining examples of basic transportation, free from touchscreens, integrated GPS and complicated user interfaces. Some of us just want to drive and not be distracted by unnecessary technology inside our cars,...

A Very Special Feature

Posted on Mar 3, 2016 in Editorials | Comments Off on A Very Special Feature

Supposedly, there’s a Powerball ticket somewhere in this house. It’s Wednesday night as I write this, a few hours before the drawing. By the time you read this, you will know that I did not win the Powerball, and neither did you. I feel mathematically justified in believing that not a single TTAC reader is in any danger of actually winning the Powerball....

The Real Cost of Being a Car Guy

Posted on Feb 21, 2016 in Editorials | 3 comments

Forgive me father, for not only have I sinned (at least for right now), but I’m going to make a sordid confession about my daily work life that will tick off 99 percent of the people here. I find that auto enthusiasts — that’s you — are completely irrational. In fact, sometimes you’re just plain nuts. It has nothing to do with conspiracy theories, the federal...

Warning Others of Speed Traps: Illegal?

Posted on Feb 7, 2016 in Safety | 2 comments

A simple flash of the headlights would’ve sufficed… As a driver concerned with the well-being of my fellow citizens on the road, I make an effort to warn oncoming traffic when I notice a cop stalking for speeders. That is, once I’m sure that Johnny Law hasn’t locked his sights on me. When I know I’ve made it through the speed trap unscathed, I...

Magneto What?

Posted on Feb 2, 2016 in Technology | 2 comments

That was the first thought I had when my husband and I were having a conversation the other night about the 2012 Chevy Camaro ZL1 and he told me about the Magnetorheological shocks. So, before I could even begin to look at the mechanics of the shocks, I had to learn how to say it. I watched the test track video about the shocks numerous times before...

Breadvan ‘Bird: Remembering Pontiac’s Firebird Type K

Posted on Jan 22, 2016 in Featured | 2 comments

The Pontiac-built 1977 Firebird Type K. Fifty-eight years after production ended, Chevrolet’s two-door wagon, the Nomad, remains sought-after by collectors. In the decades since, GM has tried on at least three occasions to revive the idea, using the F-body platform to create midsize two-door wagons based upon the Chevrolet Camaro or the Pontiac Firebird. None...

Florida, New York, Detroit, Stuttgart, and Pfaffenhausen

Posted on Jan 19, 2016 in Racing | 2 comments

The state of Florida came up with a good way to spend its DOE stimulus money ($500,000), but only one company (A123Systems) will be the beneficiary. The state is offering $5,000 rebates toToyota Prius owners to convert their plain-jane hybrids into plug-ins using that company’s Hymotion conversion kits. The rebate just about cuts in half the cost of the 5-kwh...

Mid-Engine Corvette Closer Than Ever

Posted on Jan 15, 2016 in Editorials | 2 comments

It is no secret that GM has flirted with mid-engine Corvettes for decades. Until now, the company has lacked the motivation, consensus, and/or resources to move to a mid-engine layout. However, this is the new GM. The feds are no longer calling the shots and the General has been upstaged by Ford for too long. GM now possesses the financial wherewithal, control,...

Hindustan Ambassador, Good Design Since 1948

Posted on Jan 8, 2016 in Antique | Comments Off on Hindustan Ambassador, Good Design Since 1948

Make a list of the best car designs in automotive history and I bet it will include the VW Beetle, the Land Rover and the Jaguar E-Type. One car that would be missing is the subject of today’s discussion, and it will be very familiar to our readers from India. The Hindustan Ambassador was introduced in 1948 before India’s independence and remains in production...

HID Headlights: Positives and Negatives to Consider Before Installing

Posted on Jan 6, 2016 in Technology | 1 comment

High Intensity Discharge headlights, popularly known as HIDs, have become all the rage amongst car enthusiasts, and for good reason. HIDs have plenty of substantial performance and style benefits that many drivers can take easy advantage of, but at the same time, these headlight upgrades certainly aren’t for everyone. To help you decide whether an HID...

Bad Driving and What, If Anything, to Do About It

Posted on Jan 4, 2016 in Safety | 1 comment

Oh boy, another lecture on distracted driving and texting. Well, this one’s a little bit different. I want to talk about how bad driving is part of the culture in most every country—and suggest that there’s only one way to fix it. Texting and cell phone use in cars seem to be slightly on the decline in the U.S., and maybe that’s due to all the publicity, maybe...

Only one lost wheelcover and one attempt on my life so far…

Posted on Dec 18, 2015 in Featured | 2 comments

While the AMX has occupied hallowed ground in one half of my garage since I bought my house, the other half has seen a rotating cast of assorted projects—an MG Midget, a Crosley, a mystery streamliner, an AMC Eagle station wagon—that might have kept our daily drivers out in the rain and snow but ultimately never panned out. My latest acquisition, though,...

The World in Cars: Volvo, Yugo and Schumacher

Posted on Dec 13, 2015 in Racing | Comments Off on The World in Cars: Volvo, Yugo and Schumacher

Volvo C70I’m consistently struck by how globally oriented the auto industry has become. Reading the news this morning was a further education in that trend, with stories about: Ford and Geely coming to agreement on the sale of Volvo, Fiat taking over the old Yugo factory in Serbia, and of course Michael Schumachercoming out of retirement to race again (this one...